Restless
by Guera Mexicana
Summary: Sam can't sleep. Jack is the cure!


I usually write X-Files fanfic, but I recently started watching SG1. I hope my loyal fans don't hate me. ;) This is set somewhere in season 5.

* * *

"General, close the gate!" Jack shouted as soon as his team had cleared the portal. Other than the fact that he was carrying Sam and they were in their gas masks, his team looked no different than when they had left nearly 5 hours before. "Call for a medical team!" He didn't bother to check to see if anyone had obeyed his demand, but continued through the halls to the infirmary.

Janet appeared around a corner with a gurney and her team. Jack quickly placed Sam on it.

"What happened?" Janet looked to him for answers.

"I...uh...I don't know. We split up in a cave and when she didn't answer on the radio we found her like this." Sam had a powdery residue around her mouth and nose. She was completely passed out.

Janet looked back to Jack. He actually looked scared.

Later that day...

"Colonel, you have no idea what happened?" General Hammond asked him.

"No, General. Like I said, we just found her like that."

Daniel saw Jack's discomfort and continued for him. "We made sure to take all the precautions we could with what we had on hand. It was obvious she had that residue so, we put on our gas masks and gloves before we tried to do anything. She didn't respond to any of our attempts to wake her."

"Well, I'm waiting for Dr. Fraiser to return with the initial lab results. In the meantime, I have a hazmat team prepared to examine the cave you were in. I'll need someone to take them there."

"I can assist with that," Teal'C said.

"Thank you, Teal'C. Be prepared to leave at any moment. Dismissed." The remaining members of SG-1 stood and went their separate ways.

3 days later...

General Hammond, Jack, Teal'C, Daniel, and Janet all sat in the briefing room. "It appears that Major Carter is only suffering from sleep deprivation. It looks like she is asleep, but in actuality, she is awake. Her brain activity shows evidence of this. Unfortunately, it's a very severe case at this point. Her organs are functioning properly and everything else appears normal. But even a few more days of these symptoms, and she could go into a coma."

Jack may have been in the same room, but he was clearly on another planet. He had watched as Sam gradually got worse each day. She spent hours on end tossing and turning in her bed. Her iv's and monitoring devices often came loose because of her restlessness. Occasionally, her eyes opened, but she rolled over and another fit would begin.

"I've tried sedating her, but nothing has worked," Janet said.

General Hammond then said, "Would a coma help in this situation?"

"No, sir, not in this case."

General Hammond's eyes lowered in understanding. "The hazmat team returned with samples of a rock we believe Major Carter was handling. It appears the substance she came in contact with was dormant inside the rock for a very long time. Once the rock was broken open the chemical was released."

"From what we can tell," Janet continued, "it has the same properties of tryptophan, only on a much more concentrated level."

"The stuff that's in turkey?" Daniel asked.

Janet ignored him. "There's nothing more we know at this point."

"Thank you, Dr. Fraiser. Keep us posted on her progress." General Hammond stood and left the room. He didn't seem to be handling this very well, either.

The next evening...

Jack stood over Sam in the observation room of the infirmary. Even from behind the glass he could see her eyes sunken in, her color gone from her face, and how all of this was affecting her. If only there were something he could do. He pounded his fist on the window.

After a few moments he calmed down again and entered her room. As soon as he approached, her eyes opened and searched the room. He immediately came closer. "Carter, we're trying everything we can," he said quietly. Her eyes locked on his and he watched as a single tear dripped down her cheek. Then they were shut again. The room was empty for now, but it wouldn't be long before a nurse would return to check on her. Since she had been brought in here, he visited her often. Sometimes he would talk to her, read, or just sit. If it were any other member of his team, he wouldn't have kept such a vigil. Besides, Carter could have figured out the answer by then.

He didn't know how long he sat there this time, but Dr. Fraiser entered the room. "Sir, I didn't know you were here." She could see the frustration written all over his face. "Colonel, I'm sorry we haven't been able to figure this out."

"I know. I just feel so useless. I can't do anything to help her."

"That isn't true. You are doing what no one else can. You can sit here with her and keep her company."

He rolled his eyes. "That doesn't help." He knew every one else was smarter than he was and he had no clue what was going on.

"Well, it's true. I know it's helping her."

"How?"

She moved over to the machine watching her brain activity. She picked up the stack of papers that popped out of it. "I'm guessing you came in here about 35 minutes ago."

He couldn't really corroborate her guess, but it seemed fair. "Look," she said, "her brain waves are clearly calmer since then."

"How do you know that's me and not some fluke?"

"I've been watching it since yesterday morning. It hasn't changed for anyone else." She continued checking on Sam's monitors and equipment then left the room.

He sat there for another hour. Suddenly, an idea popped into his mind. He rushed into Hammond's office. "General, do you trust me?" He was answered with a raised eyebrow. "I want permission to do something to try to help Major Carter."

"What is it?"

"I think this would be one of those times where the less you know, the better."

"Fine, but only because Dr. Fraiser informs me that there's nothing more they can do. She is expected to go into a coma within the next 12 hours."

"Thank you, sir." Jack quickly went back to the infirmary. Janet was there again. "I have an idea. General Hammond authorized me to give it a try. Unhook her from anything she doesn't really need, then put her in her private quarters. I'll meet you there." He left her bewildered, but she soon began to remove the less necessary wires and tubes. Jack found Teal'C in his room watching tv. "Teal'C, I need you to do me a favor."

"What is it, Colonel O'Neill?"

"I need you to stand guard outside Carter's room." Teal'C followed Jack to Sam's room down the hall. Janet had just finished moving all the equipment needed to monitor her. "You can see these readings from somewhere else, right?"

"Yes, they're linked to the infirmary."

"Good," he looked to Teal'C, "I don't want anybody to open this door tonight! I don't care if it's the president of the United States."

"Understood," Teal'C said.

Janet looked at Jack curious as to what was going to happen next.

"Unless, there is a real medical emergency," he added. That seemed to calm Janet down a bit.

Jack waited a moment for her to return to her office. Then he entered Sam's room and closed the door. He looked around the room and saw a video camera in the corner. He opened one of Sam's drawers and found her supply of black shirts. Then he used it to cover up the camera. Once he was finished, he removed his boots and uniform. He was wearing just his black shirt and boxers. As quietly as he could he slipped into the bed next to her, careful not to disturb the remaining wires and tubes. All she had now was an iv and the little stickers around her head. He settled his body close to her's, but she stirred. He panicked briefly. If she knew he was here, she'd freak out. She turned to her side and now faced away from him. Perfect, he thought! Slowly, he inched closer to her and snaked his arm around her stomach. If only it didn't feel so incredible! Not long after Jack was spooning his second in command. Almost immediately, though he was fast asleep.

The next morning Jack's eyes slowly crept open. The clock on the wall said it was just after 7 in the morning. Apparently, neither he nor Sam had moved at all the whole night. He knew he had to go, but it was very difficult to leave her. She looked more peaceful than she had in the last 4 days. As he put his clothes back on he prayed that his idea had benefited her.

"Good morning, Teal'C," Jack said as he entered the hall.

"Colonel O'Neill," he said as he bowed his head.

"Thank you for staying. Was there any trouble?"

"Nothing I couldn't handle." A smile appeared on his face.

Jack returned the smile and said, "You can go now." Teal'C bowed again and returned to his room. Soon after Janet appeared. "I was just about to go look for you."

"Sir, what happened last night? I monitored her vitals all night and whatever you did seems to have helped!"

"It helped?"

"Yes, but I'm not sure to what extent until I do some tests."

"Great, keep me updated." With that he retreated down the hall.

Janet couldn't interpret the reaction he gave her, but hoped she could work on a solution to help her friend.

Sam was aware of the change in her environment, but without opening her eyes she tried to guess where she was. After a minute she realized she was in her own room. She had a vague recollection of being in a hospital bed. Her head ached, as did most of her body. Slowly, she rolled over in her bed and found that the space next to her was warm. It also had the scent of cologne. She didn't recognize it, though. "Why would there be cologne on my bed?" The cologne seemed to have a calming affect on her. She settled in the bed again and drifted back to sleep.

Later, the team was back in the briefing room to discuss the previous night's events. "Dr. Fraiser, what do you have for us today?" the General asked.

"From what we can tell, Major Carter was in a state of REM sleep for the better part of the night. I believe she just got the best night's sleep of her life."

General Hammond looked to Jack who avoided his eyes. Turning back to the dr. "Is this a step in the right direction?"

"It would appear so, but this isn't something that could be reversed in one day. It may take as many as 4 more days to return her to normal. The Tok'Ra have informed us that they've seen this kind of thing before. They only had one patient that survived. They never returned to that planet again, either. They told us that once they were able to get their patient to sleep for a few days, it was like nothing had happened."

"I see," said General Hammond.

"However, Major Carter's symptoms have returned on a much smaller scale. Whatever Colonel O'Neill did last night has begun to wear off." Janet looked to him as she spoke. She was still curious as to what he did. She may never know.

"Sir, if I still have permission, I'd like to try again tonight." Jack still avoided the eyes of everyone in the room.

"Very well," the General said. "Dismissed." Once again the group dispersed. "Colonel, I'd like to see you in my office."

Uh, oh, Jack thought.

"I just need to know one thing, Colonel. Have you done anything that would give me reason to court marshall you?"

To say that Jack was surprised would be an understatement. "No! Believe me, I haven't done anything that would cause that."

The General simply huffed and motioned that Jack could leave.

4 days later...

"Major Carter, we're so glad to have you back with us!" The General exclaimed as they once again sat in the briefing room.

"I wish I could say the same. I just don't remember anything except leaving for our last mission."

"Understood. Everyone take a few days off. I'll see you Monday morning."

"You need me to drive you home, Carter?" Jack asked as they waited in the elevator.

"No, sir. I think I'll be ok."

They stood in silence as it ascended and then, "Is that a new cologne you're wearing, sir?"

"Yes, I just got it."

"It's so familiar to me." Sam exited the elevator when it reached the top, but Jack remained. "I'll see you Monday!"

As the doors closed, a smile appeared on Jack's face. He'd just had the best 4 days of sleep in his life.


End file.
